When we can’t look up

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.  When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability."  And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.                Luke 13:10-14

Here we are told of a woman who had been sick for eighteen years, bent over and not able to straighten herself. She was destined to look at the ground, to see the dirt, the rocks and stones, the feet and shoes of the people. Looking up was hard. She was bent over and looked down all the time. This woman was suffering. Jesus saw her. He noticed her. He didn’t stare at her because of her disability. He didn’t look at her and wonder what she had done wrong to end up in that condition. He saw the person inside the bent body. And he spoke to her. He called her over. He told her to come to Him.

Then, He said words that she never expected to hear. “Woman, you are freed.” What amazing words to hear, after eighteen years of bondage. Then, Jesus laid his hands on her. The words of Jesus, now the touch of Jesus. He required nothing of her. Sometimes, Jesus asked questions of people before He healed. Sometimes people had to take some action; touch His garment, call out to Him, show faith. This woman was not able to do anything. Jesus had so much mercy, called her over, spoke to her, laid hands on her. Immediately she was made straight. After eighteen years, a word from Jesus, and a touch, and she is free. The Bible says, “…and she glorified God.” Almost like an afterthought. Oh, yes, and she glorified God. After eighteen years of being bent over, unable to straighten up, I bet she made some noise in her praising God!

Sometimes we get bent over in our soul. Sometimes pain, suffering, illness, hurts, worry, stress…cause us to be bent over, weary, unable to help ourselves. Sometimes we are not able to even look up. Our eyes are downcast, only seeing the things that are on the ground; the dirt, the rocks, the ugly and hard things of this life. We only see the feet of our friends and family. We can’t look them in the eye, we look down when we see them. Hurt, pain, and shame cause us to keep our eyes downcast. When we get into that place, we can’t help ourselves. We get stuck in that position. People may tell us to “look up”, but we are just not able to do that.

Then, Jesus comes along. In His mercy, He calls to us, he says, “Come to me.” That is all He requires. Just get to Jesus, limp, stumble or crawl to Him. Jesus speaks to us. He speaks words to us that bring freedom and strength, and He reaches out and touches us. His touch heals. Suddenly, we are able to look up! We can see the sky, the beautiful things around us. We can look people in the eyes. The pain may still be there, the problem, the struggle; but we are free from the bondage of being bent over. The shame and fear are gone.

And then, we glorify God. We are set free from bondage to praise our God.